County officials have discussed making even bigger changes - maybe expanding the facility or adding a hotel - but for now, they just need an elevator that isn't so old that companies have stopped manufacturing parts for it.

"We want to turn it back into a first-class facility," said John Raphael, chairman of the Vets board. "We've been applying Band-Aids to the building for a long time and we can't just keep on Band-Aiding."

Vets is different from most entertainment facilities in Columbus in that its primary mission is to provide a memorial for veterans and a home for the Veterans Service Commission. But it also rents the space for performances, meetings, trade shows and conventions.

The auditorium has about 4,000 seats, redone as part of an $11.3million upgrade in 2000. But there's still a roadblock to bringing in Broadway productions and other big shows.

When entertainers come to town, they pull up to the loading dock with trucks filled with lights and sound equipment, some weighing more than 50,000 pounds, said Rodney Myers, Vets general manager.

The stage elevator, built more than 50 years ago, can carry less than 1,000 pounds per load.

When Thomas and Friends, a musical version of a children's book series about trains, recently was looking for a Columbus venue, it told Myers it needed an elevator that could handle at least 6,000 pounds.

Vets lost the gig.

Its auditorium is booked about 50 percent of the time, and with the upgrades Myers said he's hoping that will increase to 65 percent.

Rolanda Copley, spokeswoman for the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts, said she thinks there's demand in Columbus to support more shows. The city has eight major theaters, but each venue seems to have its own niche based on its size and setting.

"Given the diversity and number of shows, I think there's plenty to go around," she said. "This sounds good for the city and good for the economy."